Can AI Take Your Order?
CRE Is Adopting Artificial Intelligence In Big New Ways
By Caldwell Smith
Published June 16, 2023
By Caldwell Smith
Published June 16, 2023
These days, every other post or article we see is about Artificial Intelligence and how it is changing our world. I usually scroll past the vast majority of them now, but when I saw what Wendy's was planning to do, I was intrigued.
Artificial Intelligence has been around for a long time. It has recently been highlighted more than ever in the news and big tech thanks to recent improvements. AI can seemingly do it all, from flying rocket ships to adding our favorite filter. AI has so much potential that it's hard not to be enticed by its allure. And as commercial real estate continues to rely more and more on tech, AI can help make that transition more manageable and faster than ever. But what if AI was already a veteran in the commercial real estate industry?
Starbucks has been leveraging AI to optimize its operations for years. In an article posted in October 2019, the then CEO of Starbucks, Kevin Johnson, talked about Deep Brew, a suite of AI solutions developed for Starbucks. With the goal to "power [their] personalization engine, optimize store labor allocations, and drive inventory management," Starbucks set out to create a system that empowers their employees. Spending less time on menial tasks gives employees more time to focus on their customers and ensure they are happy.
Many companies, like YUM! Brands have also incorporated AI into their food inventory system. By analyzing historical data, sales patterns, and other factors, their AI can predict demand and help optimize food orders. Abuelos has recently brought AI into their customer experience as well. Their AI tracks and prioritizes curbside orders expected to arrive first at the store.
All of these examples have two key elements in common. Each time AI is introduced in these examples, it has been used to empower the employees and the customer in return. Two, each process is very well defined, and the AI is provided with comprehensive data to make the best decision. Wendy's approach to its new AI could be one of the first to challenge the mold.
Wendy's announced they will be testing a new AI, one that will take your order in the drive thru. This is a drastic change from the previous examples of AI in retail. While other AI has been used behind the scenes to empower employees, this AI is designed to engage directly with customers. They also aren't the first to try this radical new approach. Checkers began implementing a drive thru AI at the beginning of 2022. Partnering with Presto, their goal is to offset the industry's labor shortage and create a better working environment for their employees. As you can see from this video, it's not a life-changing experience, but it gets the job done at the very least.
Wendy's goal is to create a "faster, and frictionless experience for customers" and for employees to have more time "[focus] on making great food and building relationships". Built in partnership with Google, Wendy's new AI will be tested at a company owned restaurant in Columbus, Ohio, before being rolled out to other stores. I believe in Wendy's (I'm just waiting to be roasted by Wendy's ruthless social media team). Still, their AI needs to be much more flexible in its approach than others that have been implemented. Time will tell if Wendy's can fulfill their promise to create a system that provides a better experience.
I'm all for implementing technology, especially when brands are running into very real challenges. What do you think? Does an AI taking your order at a drive thru make you less likely to go? •
Last Modified June 16, 2023
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